320.
October 15, 1898.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
debt of gratitude to Mr. Litton, who is ever on East, and if she had not had to wait for a steamer sufficiently demonstrated by the fact that to take her to Nagasaki for treatment. Mrs
the authorities are unable to arrest him, the alert, and his official colleagues for the Scott returned here on the French Mail boat while his influence is strong enough to create careful attention they are just now giv. on Monday. when she embarked at Nagasaki riots and disturbances in cities where be nevering to the distressing circumstances of the mo- she was apparently quite well, but on the passage has resided. It is now impossible for foreignersment and the serious bearing they have upon across the paroxysms seized her, and on her ar- to travel in safety along the great road to the the lives and welfare and work of their nationals rival here on Monday she was in a hopeless condi- capital, and the condition of the country to the in this disturbed port. It is unnecessary to add that it is high time the "reign of terror " which, tion, with the dread symptoms strongly developed. | north; of Chungking is for aliens still more After two days of dreadful suffering, despite the alarming.
speaking for the present year, originated first of closest attention from Drs. Henderson, McLeod, There is a rumour that Yu intends to join bis all in the adjoining city of Kiangpeh, and which and Milles, she succumbed to-day at her resid- forces with the disaffected spirits in Kiangpeh. has since been confirmed and strengthened by ence, 56a, Broadway. Nothing sådder has even After Hochou one feels that even that is possible. the lawless activities of Yu Man-tze & Co., And, moreover, we occurred in recent years in Shanghai and her Certainly the last condition of Kiangpeh ap. should be terminated: husband and the four little children she leaves pears to be worse than its first. It has now ap British subjects believe that Sir Claude mac. behind her have the most heartfelt sympathyparently begu definitely decided that no one is donald will now see to it that the present aspect of the entire community. It was in defending
to be punished for the murder of a few months of affairs in this remote district shall be forth- her infant against the rabid dog that she was ago. The three men said to be responsible for with changed to something less calculated to the crime were to have been handed over to jus-beget auxiety and unrest among his country- torn and hitten by the maddened brute, whose
men, many of whom are surrounded by their poisonous fangs are responsible for three tragic tice yesterday. The Tantai had given his pro- and awful deaths.-China Gazelle.
mise to this effect. The day came, but not the wires and little children. men. And it is now loudly proclaimed that the
20th September. punishment of any one for the murder of a Chris- tian will not be allowed by the people. The latter were sufficiently defiant before: "Yu Man. tze's attitude has encouraged them in their de- fiance,
CHUNGKING
CRITICAL STATE OF AFFAIRS.
J
16th September. I have just wired to you news of the outbreak of a serious disturbance at the city of Hochou which is distant from us only about 60 miles. The Catholic Mission was burnt, the American, premises looted, while one British subject with his wife and family who happened to le travel ling in the vicinity of Hochon, at the time, were only saved from maltreatment or capture by the activity of their boatmen. The riot oc- curred three days ago, and the one consolatory fact about the whole business is that no one, so far as is at present known, was injured in the melée. There can be no doubt that the renowned Yu Man-tze is responsible not only for the riot but for the very real and alarming state of unrest which is so general in this and other districts immediately to the north. From all quarters where Yn Man-tze is supposed to possess influ- ence we learn that a very unhappy condition of affairs exists. The country people are in mauy cases flocking into the cities for protection, others again are finding a place of refuge in the fortifications which were built on the mountain tops in the time of Chan Hsien-chung-the arch- rebel of 200 years ago while it is also alleged that in instances not a few the farmers in the unsettled regious have sold their newly garnered harvests for a mere soug, rather than run the risk of having everything forcibly appropriated by the marauders. Such are the reports that have been reaching Chungking during the past fortnight and being, as we all believe, literally true, they indicate a very serious state of affairs.
The aspect of affairs in this neighbour- bood is daily becoming more serious. The riots are spreading in the country districts, and R. C. Christians are suffering ter- ribly at the hands of lawless bands of men. Meanwhile Magistrate Kuo of Kiangpel is Tuotai Jen seems to be unable to control the at loggerheads with the Taotai here. The people at a distance, and this is not to be wonder- former refuses to obey the latter, and the Tao- ed at seeing that ex-Taotai Lai is now one of the tai is powerless to enforce his commands. The two chief magistrates at the provincial capital. By this time he, Lai, will be known to your readers provincial government for the time is said to be in the hands of H.E. Wen, the Treasurer, who as a bitter opponent of foreigners and indeed is ably supported in his anti-foreign proclivities everything foreign. Rumours have been afloat by the renowned Mr. Lai, whose antipathy to to-day that the mission stations at Suiyin, Peh- foreigners is well-known. Little wonder that koshu, Yinchou and other places have been des- our present Tantai, who is believed to be troyed. We fear there may be something in friendly, should in these anxious times find his them, but the writer is inclined to think that He is powerless" is the exact the reports are exaggerated. It is true, how- hands tied!!
ever, that native colporteurs employed by the phrase of one who is in a position to know what transpires daily between the official residences Agents of the Bible Societies have boou com- in Chengta and the Taotai's yamén in this city.pelled to return to Chungking owing to the un- While there is war going on among the mau-
friendliness of the people in the villages. It is darins it is hardly likely that the riotous posi also true that the Consuls have ordered all for- tion of the people will be abandoned in favoureigners residing in bungalows on the hills into the of more peaceful proceedings,
Own way.
awares.
i
CANTON NOTES.
city forthwith, and I have to add that there is And now that Hochou has fallen we who reside sufficient reason for this step. At the same as strangers within the gates of Chungking are time Chungking continues to be perfectly quiet, "What and there is good reason for supposing that the rudely compelled to ask the quest on : next? Is Chungking likely to follow in the peace of the city will not be disturbed. The wake of Hochon, Shunching, and other places?" Taotai has professed his ability to maintain There is no deuying the existence of a spirit of order within the walls, and representative men auxiety. It is equally impossible to disbelieve with whom I have had frequent conversation the truth of the report that Yu Man-tze has a assure me that a disturbance is most unlikely. It is, however, well-known that Yu Man-tsze strong desire to visit this city, and deal with
the dogs and goats" who reside here, in his has numerous abettors in Chungking, and that it Probably too his visit would he would not take very much to stir their energies into hostile activity. Moreover this city possesses welcomed by a considerable pórtion of the com-
its own quota of idlers and ne'er-do-wells who munity, who have not yet overcome their in- herited dislike to the foreigner. But after all, would be glad of any pretext to engage in a game admitting these facts and even more of the of rapine and pillage. We continue, however, to same nature, the writer cannot persuade him- hope for the best, although several residents self that a riot will occur here. For one thing have deemed it wise to prepare for emergencies. the focal mandarius, and particularly the H.B.M.'s Consul, Mr Litton, is exerting all his Taotai, are exercising the greatest care lest strength to prevent trouble, and the community suspicious strangers should.enter the city un-is under a deep debt of gratitude to him.—N. Č.
Daily News correspondent. The city gates are guarded, streets are patrolled by detectives in plain clothes in search of the enemy, while the barricades are promptly and effectually closed every night at a compara- ively early hour. Add to all this the fact that the local people generally never seemed to be more peaceably disposed, while it also appears to be true that the heavy balance of the citizens They are themselves disinclined for a row, have no wish to see Yu Man-tze here, and it is quite possible that many of them would actively resent his appearance.
Still it remains true! that riots are generally engineered not by the many but by the few. But there is no use blinking the fact that we, as a foreign còmmu- nity, are living in grave, if not, eritical times. Something might occur at any moment to falsify the prediction of peace.
Hence the wisdom of preparing for the worst even while we 'c ntinue to hope for the best. At the suggestion of Mr. Litton, H.B.M.'s able representative bere, and with the permission of Mr.Smithers, the U S.Con. sul, a meeting of foreign residents was convened yesterday in the American Consulate at which certain plans were proposed and adopted for the purpose of securing united action on the part of the large missionary community, It is devoutly | in case of trouble breaking out.
hoped that the wisdom of the arrangements m de will never be put to a practical test, but it is noue the less generally felt that the signs of the times point to the necessity of being prepared for emergencies. The community is under a
Yu Man-tze is practically master of a very large area, and government on ordinary lines is, to all intents and purposes, impossible; mob law prevails. Yn has at length issued his manifesto. It is a blatant document of over 700 characters--far too long to be translated at present. In it he poses as a martyr. alleges himself to be a man of many grievances. The magistrates have systematically refused to examine into his case, and would regard him as a dangerous ontlaw. Soldiers have even been sent to arrest him. He has no place of refuge. The Christians are his relentless foes. He has now determined to act for himself. Besides, is not his country in great danger of being swallowed up by the dogs and goats" from, over the sea He will come to the aid of bis native land in the hour of her ext: emity. His patriotisin is not evanescent, but strong and constant. He has collected his trusty followers, who with him have sworn to avenge China's injuries and wipe out her reproach He calls upon the people to make ready their weapons and join him in the patriotic crusade All who belong to the orthodox religion, and re. spectable people generally (unt being Christians, of course), are advised to continue peacefully in their avocations. He will not disturb them by so much as a hair." But the "dogs, aud goats" are to be driven out at all cost, and Yu Man-tze and his avenging host have under taken to do so. All this is a hurried sample of the contents of a document which is widely cir- calated, and even more widely read. Its style is not the style of a coal-beaver, which Yu Man-tze is said to be, but that of a practised penman. It is officially admitted that his followers are drawn from all classes, and that they are numerous. The power of the man is
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A
[FROM THE 'CHUNG NGOL BAN PO."] The Canton Government has received in structions from Peking to discontinue the reclamation work on the river bund till the Haukow-Canton railway has been completed, when the privilege of continuing the work will be granted to the same merchant to whom it has already been granted by the Viceroy.
Admiral Ho Chang-ching has proposed to the Viceroy to enlist all the fishermen as volunteers. The men will be allowed to continue their customary work, but if there is any em- ergency they will be called out for service. This proposal has been highly appreciated.
One hundred and thirty official posts have been abolished in obedience to the Imperial decree. Most of the posts were held by potty officials and were not of much utility.
The house occupied by the family of Chang Yin-huan, who had been banished to Kashgaria, has now been laid quite desolate. All the members of the family have made good their It is reported that his only son has escupe, taken refuge in Japan.
Favourable crops are reported from all dis- tricts. The price of rice is consequently great- ¡ly declining.
A large number of soldiers of the garrisons of the Viceroy's yamen and of the Kwang-chau
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